Exchange & Pop3

[fiza]

I need some help and I can't seem to find any existing threads dealing with this ;

 

We have an external email provider with whom I have been tasked to create pop3 email accounts for all staff. Management also want to tie this in with an internal Exchange Server (2003 I think). Is there a way to link Exchange with External Email accounts? I have heard of Exchange Connectors but these dont seem to be supported by Microsoft.

 

To top it off they want the ability to still use webmail to pick up emails after school/during holidays.

 

If there is a way to combine Exchange with pop3 emails will the exchange server periodically connect and pull down the emails or will it wait for users to log onto outlook and then do the pull? If exchange does it automatically then how will the webmail work as the emails will disappear off the pop3 service providers server as soon as it does the pull.

 

I hope that all makes sense.

[Neil]

Hi we have used the software below when having to pull down many pop accounts, it will pull them all down then push them over to Exchange to deal with. Its really simple to setup and works well.

 

Exchange POP3 and IMAP Connector POPcon

[leco]

Hi we have used the software below when having to pull down many pop accounts, it will pull them all down then push them over to Exchange to deal with. Its really simple to setup and works well.

 

Exchange POP3 and IMAP Connector POPcon

 

We used to use Popcon with Exchange and agree that it works well. As I recall there is a setting for leaving the post on the Pop3 server, so accessing from somewhere other than the school is possible.

[steve]

Microsoft don't support POP3 email collection on Exchange, however as you've said there are plenty apps out there that can do this.

 

Have a look at: Connecting Exchange Server to a POP3 Account

 

You'll need solution that will download emails and leave a copy on the POP3 server for x number of days - this way your staff will still be able to view their mail via the web.

 

One issue you will have is you'll need to know and keep track of the mailbox usernames and passwords.

[Neil]

If your using Exchange then just setup OWA to access the mail when they are out of the building.

[fiza]

Hi we have used the software below when having to pull down many pop accounts, it will pull them all down then push them over to Exchange to deal with. Its really simple to setup and works well.

 

Exchange POP3 and IMAP Connector POPcon

 

 

Do you use the standard version or the Pro? Is the Pro version worth the extra cost?

[mb2k01]

Completely out of curiosity, do you know why they're wanting this?

If they've decided to stick with external pop3 email why go for internal Exchange?

Seems kind of like having a bike, buying a car and continuing to ride the bike!

[fiza]

MB2K01

 

No one tells me ; Im only the Network Manager!!!

 

I think the idea is they want to sell the concept of email (we dont have any - how stoneage is that??).

They want to make it easy as possible and getting users to log into webmail would put them off. Hence Outlook (click to open and hey presto! emails). The other point is they want to use shared calenders in outlook hence Exchange.

[mb2k01]

I think the idea is they want to sell the concept of email (we dont have any - how stoneage is that??).

They want to make it easy as possible and getting users to log into webmail would put them off. Hence Outlook (click to open and hey presto! emails). The other point is they want to use shared calenders in outlook hence Exchange.

 

If email was handled internally by Exchange then it would be as easy as it could ever be - click and open! (Unless the user isn't configured yet - so they would have a 3-click wizard which would auto configure their details from AD/Exchange).

 

Apart from the ease of use factor there is the cost.

If you are going to install Exchange internally it will be the same licensing cost regardless of how you use it (technically not correct if you license correctly and do external etc). So to have that cost and presumably have to pay the provider of your external POP3 addresses doesn't make sense to me.

 

If it's all being driven from management I dare say they don't actually really know what they're telling you to do! If it were me I'd go back to them and ask for more info on what they're trying to achieve and say you might be able to work it out cheaper or provide an alternative with more benefits

[fiza]

MB2K01

 

My predecessor had Exchange running a few years ago. It fell over and was never fixed. So management know we have the licences and we happen to have a shiny new server hence the push to resurrect it.

 

I think their main aim would be shared calenders (they miss that since the exchange server died). New to exchange and shared calenders malarky so if there is another way to achieve the same I am open to suggestions. (nil cost would be ideal otherwise they will point me to the already paid for exchange route).

[Neil]

I have always used the standard version as I don't need any of the virus/spam filtering you get with the pro version. If you have any questions on setting up the software let me know

[Jamman960]

If you can I'd go for hosting the whole lot internally, All you'd need to do is expose port 25 for mail and ports 80, 443 for OWA to the outside world and change the MX entry on your domain to point towards your server.

 

As OWA looks very much like Outlook it should be easy for them to go between the two as and when needed.

 

You would however incur additional costs such as Spam Filtering and an SMTP Relay to recieve the mail when your server isnt availible.

 

Another option is to use Google Apps, you'd then get mail and calendaring without the additional complications.